ArchivedLogs:A Little Sun

A Little Sun
Dramatis Personae Lia, Jack
In Absentia	2 March 2015 "It is like the world is half made of wind chimes and glass."
Location <XS> Conservatory
Tall panes of glass keep this large indoor garden warm year round. Tended to by the school's groundskeeper, the conservatory is lush with plant life, a carefully cultivated paradise within Xavier's walls. The room serves as a classroom as well; in the center of the garden a ring of seats forms a small circle, a favorite locale for some teachers to hold court. Exam week. It's a cause for a great deal of stress, panic, last-minute cramming, and occasionally just giving up on things as being where they're going to be by this late hour. Most students fall into the earlier categories, noses stuffed in books whether they would /typically/ be there or no. Lia has a book. Algebra, open off to one side with a notebook covered in dancing figures and variables next to it, the pencil resting atop it looking rather gnawed-on. The girl herself has no nose to offer the book, however. She is sprawled out on her back in a nice, grassy spot, soaking in the sunlight during this brief day's reprieve between snow storms. Perhaps in deference to the busy exam and study schedule, at least, her hair is a messy halo of brown waves around her head with no effort taken to tame it. Likewise, her attire is simple: lavender sweater over violet tank top, black skinny jeans decorated with metallic thread-work, calf-height black boots rolling slowly in and out as perhaps the only sign that she is, indeed, awake. Sure, Jack had missed some things about school when he was living on the streets. But tests and exams were not among them. He's in jeans and an Xavier's school hoodie as he makes his way into the conservatory. Hood up, he's got an algebra book in hand with some other school books. He's hoping to get a little studying in as well and hoping the sunlight will make it feel less like a headache. When he spots Lia ahead, his unseen expression turns to a smile. Once he's close enough to not have to yell or speak too loudly, Jack lifts his free hand to wave. "Hey, Lia. How's your day going?" Eyes closed to better drink in the light without blinding herself, the waving does not do much to attract Lia's attention. The speaking does more, particularly where her name is involved. “Sunny,” she replies dreamily, a hand swirling generally upward in an indication of the light shining down through the glass. “Yesterday it was snowy and icy. Today it is sunny. Full of sparkles and trickles. It is like the world is half made of wind chimes and glass.” Finally, she tips her head back to regard Jack, blinking a bit through eyes grown accustomed to the insides of their lids. Jack lets his arm drop when he notices Lia's eyes are closed. He sits carefully in the grass as well, gaze trailing up towards the sky. He uses an arm to shield his eyes against the sun for a moment before looking back to Lia. "Too bad we're supposed to get more rain and snow tomorrow. I like the sun better," he replies. "At least its getting warmer," he adds. "So the snow should all be melting again." "I like sun the best. Or stars. But playing in the rain is fun. Also, playing in the snow. And the snow is pretty." Lia's arms fall to her sides, then stretch up over her head languidly. "It is less nice when the rain and snow come together. Then it is just slippery and cold and not pretty /or/ good for playing in." Jack shivers at the thought of being out in freezing rain and snow. "Yeah, that just sounds like a good way to get sick," he says. "I kind of like the rain in the summer when it's warm. Good for keeping cool and," he rubs the back of his neck a little sheepishly. "It sort of lets people see me. Not the same way as Mr. Jax did but...like it shows there's a person here and not just haunted clothes." “You are always person-shaped,” Lia asserts with a little head-tilt. “I suppose unless you are naked. Then there probably is not as much visible shape. Did you not want to do make-up anymore? I /bet/ you could roll around in mud and you would be even more solid-looking.” She pauses a moment, thinking on that. “Whether you wanted clothes or not, that should work.” Jack laughs, shaking his head. "I'm still going to ask B and Rasa about make up but after exams and stuff," he says. There's an unseen blush on his face as he goes on. "I know mud and dirt work but I'm going to keep wearing clothes," he explains. "It's just nice that the rain works that way too." “Probably they will be less busy then,” Lia agrees with a small nod. “Oh, you might want to get a spritz-bottle, then. Waiting for the rain could take a long time! Especially when it is cold enough out for ice and snow. You could just...aim it at your face.” The girl's hand lifts, miming pulling a bottle trigger in the direction of her own face. She's helpful, this one. Jack snickers a little. "I'm a housecat now?" he jokes. Shaking his head, Jack looks up. "It's okay, I can wait for the rain now that I've got other options," he says. "It'll be a nice treat," he nods. "What do you play out in the rain?" One of Lia's brows lofts a fraction. “Cats do not have fingers.” Her own move through the trigger motion again before her hand flops back into the grass, petting at it. “Mostly being in the rain. Wet and splashy. To be wet and splashy. Especially if there are puddles.” "No, but people spray cats with spray bottles when the cats are being bad," Jack replies with a half shrug. "That sounds like it's fun," he says. "Man, now I'm hoping winter ends even faster since I'm thinking about stuff like that." “Are you being bad?” Lia's nose scrunches up like a bunny's catching an odd scent. “I thought you were trying to have water on your face because it is easier to see on you than light.” Her boots go back to rolling in and out, toes tapping against one another every time they turn in. “You can also be splashy in the pool without waiting for warm. If you do not mind the chlorine. It is inside.” "No, I'm being good," Jack replies waving it off. "I know but it's still going to be fun when it's all warm and stuff," he shrugs again. He shifts how he's sitting to get more comfortable before he speaks again. "I don't mind the chlorine though. The pool is really nice." "Oh. Good, then. Usually being good is less trouble." Lia finally sits up, only to collapse down over her extended legs in another loooong stretch, fingertips finding the ground past her toes. "It will be nice. It is just a long wait, in this part of the country, for warm to happen. You may have months. Meanwhile, there are spritz-bottles and pools. So you do not just have waiting." Jack chuckles a bit and nods. "Yeah, guess you're right," he says, letting it go for now. "So did you come out here to study too or just enjoy the sun?" Lia gradually rolls her spine up tall, stacking the vertebrae slowly, then crosses one foot over the opposite knee and twists her body around the bent leg. She ends up with both her back and her face to Jack in the process. "Yes," seems to be the sum of her answer for some time. "There was enough studying, but not enough sun. So I stayed for more sun when the studying was over. It was nice to lie still. Now it is nice to move. The muscles ask for it when you lie still for too long a time." Jack watches Lia curiously, unseen brows arching at the pose Lia ends up in. "Yeah, gotta use your muscles or they won't be in good shape when you really need them," he replies. "I get that just needing to get up and move feeling sometimes too. Working out helps keep it from happening a lot though." Eventually, Lia slowly unwinds, swapping the position of her legs and twisting her spine in the opposite direction. “I feel like I need to move most of the time. It is nice to be quiet-still for small bits. Then I want to move. Except...it is enough for me to move in a doll. My body can be very still then and I don't mind.” "Do you move around as a doll a lot during the day?" Jack asks after a moment. He can't remember if he's ever seen Lia controlling a doll before. “Not as much during the day. Or as much here, really. Most often I use dolls for visiting the city now. Though sometimes I play with them if I am in the mood to.” Unwinding from her spinal twist, Lia moves to a prone position, pressing up with her arms to lift her chest. Her speech remains easy through all of this. “I used to use dolls here all of the time when it was new. And then when there were zombies.” Jack nods and leans back slightly. He's impressed by how easy all the twisting and and folding around seems to be for Lia. He's pretty sure he might hurt himself if he tried some of those moves. "Sounds like it'd save a lot of time on travel into the city. Pretty cool idea to do it that way." "If I am out, I usually have to be secret-hidey or do things at night. Sometimes I just go to visit the place where Mr. Fairyjax lives. I made friends with the people there that used to live in the place that got blown up." Lia falls back into a flat-prone position before pulling her hips back onto her heels, reaching forward in a prayer posture. "I was an angel and rescued Mr. Fairyjax's Obie from a bathtub. He got to stay with me here for a little while, until Mr. Fairyjax got out of the hospital. I like to visit Obie and Spencer. Sometimes we play on his rocket ship if I am a doll that is good for climbing." "That is a really nice place," Jack perks up. "I stayed there for a little while. Before I came here," he explains. "The people there were all pretty awesome. I still can't believe I was lucky enough to run into them so many times like I did," the invisible teen shakes his head. "Maybe I'll see if I can visit them again sometime soon." “Sometimes they will have some of the people from school for big parties. Like Christmastime. Or Thanksgiving. Oh, also some students live there, not just teachers. Horus and the twins do. I do not know if you are friends with them, but people visit them sometimes, too.” Lia lingers a few long, slow breaths longer before sitting up, gathering her books into her galaxy-print backpack. “I should go and get some lunch very-quickly before my next exam,” she announces, curling up and onto her feet in one fluid movement, the bag finding its way onto her back in the process. "Oh, I know. But some of the people that live there aren't and I want to visit them too," Jack chuckles. "I haven't met Horus but I'd like to think I'm friends with Shane and B," he says. He nods and picks up his books again. "Enjoy your lunch. And good luck on your exam. I'm gonna hang out here and study." “Horus is quiet-shy. Prettiest of feathers. And /many/ fancy hats, he has! I made him a hood. Like for Little Red. Because he did not fit in my parka.” This is all perfectly logical. “Good luck for your studying, too. Do not forget to eat if you have not already. Food is /very/ important.” Lia waves as she scampers off to Food.